Sir Thomas More rose to achieve the highest political and judicial office of England, second only to that of the king. More was recognized as one of the greatest lawyers, Christian humanists, and classical scholars of his day. He even showed this at a young age. Because of his great gifts his family sent him to Oxford University where he studied more law. After 2 years More came back to London to study law at New Inn. Even while studying this he continued his studies of Greek, philosophy, literature, and theology with world-renowned teachers as Linacre, Grocyn, and Colet. By the age of 25, More was now certain that his place was with city and family, not monastery and cell. At 27 he married Jane Colt and she gave birth to 4 children in the next 5 years. Colt died while More was 33 where he married Alice Middleton. With all of More's gifts he was much sought after as a lawyer and diplomat. More concentrated on 2 major tasks:.
1.) Streamlining and improving the judicial system 2.) Addressing and personally refuting errors, which he considered seditious and destructive of both state and church. More was a Chancellor for 31 months until he resigned on may 16th 1532 which was the day after Henry VIII and Cromwell controlled the Parliament to take away the traditional freedom of the Church. While imprisoned in the Tower of London for 15 months before his execution he wrote many of his well-known works. .
